Merkel’s CDU Goes for the Feel-Good Factor With Campaign Posters

By Stefan Lange

With a comfortable lead in the polls, Germany’s Christian Democrats are accentuating the positive with their first batch of campaign posters.

Unlike the more negative approach of the opposition Social Democratic party, which attacks Chancellor Angela Merkel, the CDU brings good tidings. In the posters, the subjects are all smiles, including a man flipping pancakes with his daughter, a carefree young couple on a scooter and an elderly woman playing with her grandchild.

Joachim Trebbe, a professor at the Institute for Media and Communications of the Free University Berlin, says he wouldn’t go as far as calling them boring, from a communication point of view. Instead, the posters suggest a sense of ease and equanimity, he says.

The themes represent typical territory for the party. “It’s family policy, economics and growth, and it’s solid fiscal policy. Topics that are traditionally the CDU’s are being taken up here again,” he says.

“Every family is different. And particularly important for us,” says one poster.

“Growth needs vision. And a stable euro,” says another.

And then there’s one of the German government’s favorite slogans: “Solid finances are important. Because we think of tomorrow.”

The Social Democrats’ posters, in contrast, portray a different image. In one, Ms. Merkel is shown with a grim face. In another, she appears to be dozing, and the Social Democrats pose the question: “Best government since unification…?”

The Social Democrats’ aggressiveness can be explained by their lack of popularity in the polls, says Mr. Trebbe. Only 26% of Germans currently would vote for them, compared to 42% for the Christian Democrats, according to a recent poll published by broadcaster ARD.

“The SPD is in a position that forces it to attack,” says Mr. Trebbe. “The Social Democrats have clearly made an anti-Merkel and anti-CDU campaign.”

The Christian Democrats, however, are “not in this assault mode. This can be seen from the posters.”

SPD General Secretary Andrea Nahles critizised the rival posters.

“The CDU doesn’t want to face the problems in the country,” she said. She noted that the CDU posters have ignored the topic of pensions, for example.

The posters presented this week are the first of three batches planned until the Sept. 22 election. The Christian Democrats intend to spend around €20 million ($27 million) on their campaign.

Notably, despite the chancellor’s enormous popularity, she is largely absent from the CDU’s posters, whereas being a frequent feature of the SPD’s. The SPD might want to reconsider that strategy: In a recent poll of Germany’s public broadcasters, 60% of the participants want Ms. Merkel to remain chancellor, whereas a mere 31% favor the Social Democrats’ candidate, Peer Steinbrück.